Hello everyone, here'* the latest news about my car

It seems that my lifters are fine now. As you may remember, I replaced them myself but didn't know I was supposed to lube them with oil before installing them.... anyway, it took them some time to pump up but now the valve system sounds normal and healthy again.

But - right after replacing the lifters, a loud metallic clunk began to develop (totally different noise than before). It sounds like it'* coming from the bottom of the engine, in the front (=passenger) side. As this sound was gradually getting louder, the oil pressure was getting lower and lower, and today it finally got so low that the oil-pressure warning chime began to sound (together with the 'check gages' light - and for the first time for me, it'* not about the fuel....).

I know that all of this might have caused some terminal damage to the engine, but since I've already got used to the idea that the car will need a new engine, I'm trying to see all of this as a learning experience

Now obviously I can't drive it. My first guess would be that the oil pump is shut - the noise is coming from its general area (it'* really loud now), and it would surely explain the low oil pressure. The noise however is loud enough to be something worse than that (connecting rod?), but then I'm not sure how that would explain the low oil pressure.

Also, a bad oil pump may also have caused my old lifters to go bad because it couldn't keep the oil pressure at the required levels, so it makes sense in a way.

Anyway, what do you think? do oil pumps usually go bad, with these symptoms? should I look somewhere else?

And, how hard is it to do the oil pump myself (compared to doing the lifters)? will I need any special tools?

Thanks in advance for any info!

(I probably won't be around for the next 3 weeks or so, so I'm not sure I'd be able to follow this thread until I'm back home again)

My oil pressure was getting pretty low for a while then all of a sudden i blew a rod. It'* weird but the way you described it, it sounds like it is comming from the same place. passenger side front of the engine. To determine weather or not it'* internal, disconnect your belt and if the noise is still there it'* probably a blown rod.

Then it must be a blown rod - I've already done that, disconnecting the belt, and the noise is still there. But how would it affect oil pressure?

I guess that means a new engine. Oh well.... I knew this day will come

Your oil pressure is low because you have spun a bearing and oil is leaking out of the crankshaft journal.

If you blew a rod, the engine wouldn't run. I'd bet on the spun bearing theory.

well then why is my engine running w/ a rod knock?

He'* right...a V6 or a V8 will run (albeit) not well without one of the cylinders firing due to a broken rod. It must be somthing else

Our V8 Crown Vic only fires on 7 of 8 cylinders, its been driving for 3 years now since we lost the 8th

You might have spun a bearing as cwrap mentioned. The increased bearing clearance reduces oil pressue (a bigger hole won't build up as much pressure) and lets the rod slap against the crank journals (the knock you hear). Sorry man :(